1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: June 10, 2025
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Betsy McClinton, Management Services Director
BY: Rene Sanchez, Acting Human Resources Manager
SUBJECT: Approval of a Three- Year Agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corporation, LinkedIn Corporation, for Recruitment Marketing and Branding Services
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a three-year agreement with LinkedIn for continued use of the LinkedIn Life and Jobs page subscription which has enhanced the City's recruitment efforts and employer branding.
BACKGROUND
The Management Services Department’s (MSD) Employment Services section launched its LinkedIn Life and Jobs page in September 2024 to increase visibility and engagement with potential candidates and to strengthen the City’s online employer presence. Prior to this, the City’s use of LinkedIn was limited to standard job postings, which did not leverage the platform’s full reach, branding, and engagement capabilities.
Since implementation, the platform has enabled Employment Services to feature engaging content about City departments and culture, highlight current job openings directly to passive job seekers, and reach a broader and more diverse talent pool.
DISCUSSION
The impact of Employment Services’ investment in additional LinkedIn services over the past year has been significant. According to NEOGOV, the City’s Application Tracking System, applications sourced through LinkedIn increased from 164 ( September 2023– August 2024) to 884 (September 2024–August 2025), representing a 439 % increase in job applications in just eight months. This upward trend suggests that the City is on pace
MANAGEMENT
SERVICES
2 to possibly see even greater growth over a full 12- month cycle. In addition, the City’s LinkedIn page experienced a 66.7% increase in followers , indicating expanded visibility and growing interest in the City as an employer.
The City’s Life and Jobs page also saw a 31.3% increase in page engagement, indicating that users are interacting more frequently with posted content such as job announcements, employee spotlights, and department highlights. These results reflect the effectiveness of the City’s content strategy and LinkedIn’s targeting algorithm in reaching both active and passive job seekers. LinkedIn’s algorithm continues to effectively target users with relevant qualifications, and the City’s consistent presence on the platform has strengthened outreach to a broader talent pool.
MSD is in the process of renewing the agreement with LinkedIn. The previous annual cost of the LinkedIn Life and Jobs page subscription was $34,100. However, the cost to renew this agreement for one-year has increased to $36,650, which is a 7.48% increase from the previous year. Additionally, per LinkedIn, it is estimated the cost could increase annually up to 7% in the following years. The cost for a three-year agreement is $109,950, which secures an annual cost of $36,650 with no price increases during the term of the agreement. Proceeding with a three- year agreement instead of a one- year agreement could save the City approximately $5,311. Therefore, entering into a three-year agreement is more cost effective for the City and will allow Employment Services to maintain momentum with LinkedIn and support consistent long-term workforce planning and digital recruitment strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
These activities have no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total cost for the three- year agreement with LinkedIn is $109,950. The cost for LinkedIn is included in the department’s budget and will be paid annually over the agreement period. Therefore, there is no impact to the General Fund associated with this request.
CONCLUSION
Employment Services’ use of LinkedIn has already proven to be a high- impact strategy for enhancing recruitment outcomes and strengthening the City’s employer brand. With measurable increases in applications, engagement, and visibility, staff recommends continuing this effort through entering a three-year agreement. Doing so will ensure the 3 City remains competitive in attracting top talent while supporting its broader strategic recruitment goals.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 – Carahsoft Technology Corporation, LinkedIn Corporation Three-Year Agreement Quote